Rescue from the Rocks RED FLARES sighted in a position one and a half miles south east of St Helier, Jersey, were reported to the deputy launching authority of the St Helier Station by a member of the public at8.30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 18, 1973; quarter of an hour later the lifeboat Elizabeth Rippon (a 46' 9" Watson cabin lifeboat) slipped her moorings with a crew of seven.

The wind was west south west force 7-8 with a very rough sea and heavy south west swell. The weather was overcast with heavy rain squalls, visibility was poor and it was the fourth hour of the flood, spring/neap tides.

After a very rough passage of twoand- a-half miles, the casualty, a French yacht Bacchus, was sighted half a mile ahead, about three cables east of La Sambue rock at 9.08. This area, with its many outcrops of rock, is notoriously dangerous and requires precision navigation in daylight, to say nothing of navigating at night in reduced visibility and gale conditions. Fourteen parachute flares were expended in the locating of the yacht, the subsequent rescue of survivors and the return passage clear of La Sambue.

Bacchus was at anchor lying head to wind and sea, lifting heavily to her cable and sheering violently about. She was damaged extensively and holed on the starboard side, water filled her cabin and her freeboard was much reduced. The crew of six, four men and two girls, were clinging to the cabin roof on the port side.

Coxswain Berry was more than aware of the extremely dangerous nature of the area, but without regard for these dangers he closed Bacchus at slow speed, bent on the rescue of the survivors. Some 100 yards off the yacht, the lifeboat grounded four times on submerged rocks before clearing them.

Recovering from this setback the coxswain closed the yacht, removing the six survivors at the first attempt and leaving the partly submerged yacht at anchor at 9.18.

The Fire Service Zodiac had launched to assist the yacht from the landing near La Motte. The sea conditions, however, proved somewhat overhelming for this small boat and her crew of three were taken aboard the lifeboat and the Zodiac towed astern for the return passage to St Helier.

Coxswain Berry retraced his trackthrough the narrow passage with the assistance of parachute flares fired from the States launch Duchess of Normandy manned by the harbour master, honorary secretary Captain Taylor, and three crew members hastily recruited.

The launch had stood by in the channel throughout the service to give assistance if needed.

The lifeboat Elizabeth Rippon returned to station at 10.10 under reduced speed.

For this service, a silver medal has been awarded to Coxswain Michael Edward Berry, and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum to Assistant Mechanic Dennis Aubert and Crew Members Alan Alexandre, David Aubert, Robin Stevens, David Mills and Barry Sallows..